M H Swoiskin | PubMed Health

PubMed2001

Psychoanalysis and medication: is real integration possible?

The author first summarizes historical tensions surrounding the use of medication in psychoanalytic treatments. Next he examines the now-popular viewpoint that clinicians should consider only descriptive criteria in deciding whether to medicate. He then describes how medication use can potentially undermine patients' full integration of psychic experiences. Finally, he presents clinical material to illustrate why clinicians ought to consider patients' defensive processes as a core part of the initial decision about medication use.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

PubMed2001

Further thoughts on dualism, science, and the use of medication in psychoanalysis.

In response to Deborah Cabaniss's article, "Beyond Dualism: Psychoanalysis and Medication in the 21st Century," the author further considers the differences between the aims of symptom reduction and psychic integration, the concept of mind-body dualism, and the nature of scientific inquiry as they pertain to the use of medication in psychoanalytic therapies. He warns against the collapsing of concepts, aided by a misapplication of science, with respect to how we listen to, organize, and respond to clinical material. He argues that only when such scrutiny occurs can the important and challenging questions pertaining to the use of medication in psychoanalytic therapies be meaningfully considered.

Combined Modality Therapy↗